Lita Roza became the first British woman to have a No 1 hit in the UK with her version of Bob Merrill's song, already a hit in the US for Patti Page. The song had been so popular in the US that registrations for the American Kennel Club jumped 8% in its wake. It might not have been the first ever novelty song, but it was one of the biggest of all time – paving the way for staples such as The Birdie Song.